Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, 9th December, about the importance of the national song, Vande Mataram, and how splitting the song led to major problems for the country.
Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah says, "I have said before that 'Vande Mataram' will never lose its relevance. When it was composed, it was as necessary then as it is today. At that time, 'Vande Mataram' became a cause for India’s independence.." pic.twitter.com/ZeXz1Fr2ne
— IANS (@ians_india) December 9, 2025
Shah said that when parts of Vande Mataram were left out to please certain groups, it started a “politics of appeasement” that eventually played a role in dividing the nation. He argued that if the whole song had been accepted without being cut, India might not have faced partition.
Shah pointed out that some members of Congress questioned why Vande Mataram should even be discussed, but he stressed that the song still holds a special place in India’s identity.
#WATCH | Union Home Minister Amit Shah says, "… Congress MPs are questioning the need for having discussions on Vande Mataram and calling it a political strategy and a way of diverting from the issues. Nobody is scared of discussions on issues. We are not the ones boycotting… pic.twitter.com/iMYau9Gkes
— ANI (@ANI) December 9, 2025
He said national symbols like this must not be weakened just to make politics easier. According to him, this division of the song marked a major shift in thinking that weakened the unity of the country.
He reminded the house that the government welcomes discussions on all topics and said, “We do not boycott Parliament. If the House works properly, every issue can be talked about.” Shah also criticised the Congress party for staying away from Vande Mataram for a long time, which he said started many years ago when Jawaharlal Nehru decided to limit the song to only two stanzas during its golden jubilee.
Shah responded strongly to those who said the debate was politically motivated, especially before elections in Bengal. He said this was the wrong way to view the discussion and criticised people trying to belittle the national song.
Shah highlighted that Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, who wrote Vande Mataram, was from Bengal, but the song belongs to the whole country and is not limited to any one region.
He also talked about the emotional connection people, including soldiers and policemen, have with Vande Mataram. He said it is the slogan they shout when they give their lives for the country. Shah ended by saying that talking about Vande Mataram is not about going back into history but about showing pride for the nation and stopping politics that break the country apart.
